Haiti Earthquake

I would like to post for you updated information on our Angels of Hope program and centers in Haiti .

Last Tuesday's earthquake caused damage at all of our orphanages and centers in Haiti. Sadly we regretfully have to report that there was one fatality at our House of the Future (004H). The child's sponsor has been contacted in person and informed of her death. Some other children suffered injuries, but they have been treated and are healing at this time. The children are all shaken and this tragedy touches their lives in many different ways. Please continue to pray for them and keep them in your thoughts. They will need all the support they can get to recover physcially and emotionally from this tragedy.

Physcially the structures have been damaged at all of our centers and as of Monday January 18th workers and engineers are on site to assesss the damages and begin to repair. All of the children are currently sleeping outside under tents and tarps until the engineers give clearance to return to the buildings and living spaces. In our Little Children of Jesus Home (005H) two dormitories were damaged along with the dining area and multipurpose recreational space. At Maison d'Amour Girls Home the exterior wall has been destroyed and we have security in place to ensure the safety of the girls until the wall can be rebuilt. Water is an issue for them as their water system was also damaged. We are focusing on their water system as a priority at this time. At the House of the Future (004H) significant damage was found. There are some cracks that are pending evaluation by the engineers, and the structure may not be salvagable. Some of the girls have gone to stay at the Sister's convent in Les Cayes for the time being. The child who died from this home was in the street at the time of the earthquake and was killed immediately. At Notre Dame de L'Espoir (002H) the water tank collapsed as well as portions of the exterior security wall. Once again both of these items are a priority for our teams on the ground right now. The home for our older boys Salesian Gressier (003H) is located in an area apart from the center of Port Au Prince. Our teams have not been able to visit the site yet due to poor and unpassable roadways. We have also not been able to communicate with the director or administration of the home due to lack of telephone land lines. We are continuing to attempt to contact them and access them by car.

We have evaluated each of the centers' food and water capacity and we are ensuring to stock and store adequate amounts of food to secure the well-being of the children and staff for the upcoming weeks. All the structural, water, and security needs should be addressed and repaired in the upcoming week(s).

Please pray for all of these children, the staff and so many others who are suffering through this unimaginable disaster. We will continue to do our best and work to ensure their well-being and safety during this time of chaos in Haiti. Your support and prayers are so important at this time of need.